In your times of need, have you called out to God? When you call on Him, God draws near to you.
You came near when I called on you; you said, Do not fear! – Lamentations 3:57 ESV
The writer of this passage is conflicted. He knows that his circumstances are deeply troubling: there are enemies attacking him constantly, there are his own mistakes making him pay, and then there is God punishing him for his sins. The writer is even more acutely aware that everything he is facing had been vetted and allowed by God to happen in his life. The question is, if you know God knows and He allowed it, why would you call on God to come near you? Wouldn’t you try to push God as far away as possible? I know I would. I would do what i could to run away from God so that nothing else would befall me. I’m sure that your reactions may very well mirror mine. We would run and curse all the way to the ends of the earth, in order to avoid the God doling out these less-than-ideal circumstances. The writer does the complete opposite though. He calls out to God intentionally. What is more amazing is that God responds by saying, “Do not fear.” It is as if God knows that there is more to the calamity you call life circumstances and that your instinct is to panic when God comes. In fact, it is because God allows your circumstances, that He knows you are in safe hands and there is nothing to really fear. It is a controlled circumstance. When you call out to God in your desperation and need, you will be told, “Do not fear.” And you should heed this command. God has a plan and purpose even though you can’t see it. God delivers when you want to call it quits. That is who He is. And, when you call Him, you can expect Him to come near and deliver.
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